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Tigers' best for 2017: No. 9 Jordan Zimmermann should bounce back

With the off-season path looking more and more like the Tigers standing pat this winter, we decided to count down the best players on the 25-man roster. These rankings are a culmination of where each player stands at this point in their careers, and the role they’ll play next season. Pitchers and catchers report for spring training on Feb. 14.

No. 9. Jordan Zimmermann

Position: Right-handed starting pitcher.

Age next season: 31.

Contract status: Due $18 million in 2017, signed through 2020 at $92 million.

Why he’s No. 9: Zimmermann had his worst major league season in 2016, hampered by major and minor injuries alike. He started off strong, showing why the Tigers invested in a long-term, lucrative contract in him, but after he was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for April, things went south. A neck injury kept him sidelined for the better part of the season. His fastball dipped, most likely a product of the injuries.

2017 projection: After he got treatment this off-season, the Tigers are hoping Zimmermann will return to form. He is an X-factor in the rotation, much like Anibal Sanchez was last season. He has never been injured in his career prior to last season. Expect a bounce-back year, though maybe not to the performance his contract dictates.